


One Moment

by SpicedGold



Series: The Nara Family [5]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: And Shikamaru is adjusting to that, F/M, Family Fluff, One moment changes a life, Shikadai is just born
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 02:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16735092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicedGold/pseuds/SpicedGold
Summary: Its funny how one moment can mean so much to one person, and nothing to another.Because the first time he looked at you, your whole world changed, and he didn’t even know because he was just born. But it’s something you’ll always remember.





	One Moment

**Author's Note:**

> So someone very special in my life is having a birthday, and I am projecting all that nostalgia and whimsy, and it just happened to land on Shikamaru.

The world around Shikamaru was quiet now.

The room was dark with night, the door closed against any sounds, nothing but a light breeze through the slightly open window. Every now and then he could hear a distant, muffled beep as something happened elsewhere in the hospital, but even that was barely registering in his mind.

He was sitting in an uncomfortable chair that he had ceased to notice several hours ago, concentrating on breathing as gently and quietly as he could, so as not to jostle the bundle on his chest that had been sleeping peacefully very shortly after being introduced to the world.

Shikadai was mere hours old, and Shikamaru was still reeling.

He kept the baby cradled carefully with one arm, the other one reaching across the bed next to him to loosely grip at Temari’s hand as she slept beside him. He longed to brush his hands through her sweat-soaked hair to neaten it up, but he didn’t want to wake her. Not after all she had gone through, not after the hours of pain to give him the most precious thing that he could ever imagine.

There were no words to describe the feelings of love and pride coursing through him, and he gently disentangled his hand from hers to adjust the blanket around his son a fraction. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t want to sleep. He didn’t want to miss a moment of this beautiful, peaceful atmosphere.

A very light knock on the door caught his attention. He hesitated a fraction before standing up, the unfamiliarity of holding his baby hitting him suddenly, and he had to pause in his movement to stare at Shikadai in a brief moment of wonderment. Once he recovered enough to move, he took slow steps to the door, and opened it, a look of surprise flickering across his features.

Kurenai and Mirai stood there, with Mirai bouncing in place, her hand grasping her mother’s firmly.

“I’m so sorry to bother you, but she wouldn’t sleep,” Kurenai explained, cheeks slightly pink. “I said we’d see if you were awake but if you weren’t-“

“It’s okay,” Shikamaru said. “Come inside.”

“We didn’t see you!” Mirai blurted out. “We haven’t seen you in days and we got worried!” She clutched Kurenai’s hand anxiously. “You didn’t come and visit like you usually do.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt,” Kurenai started.

“Nothing to interrupt,” he replied. “Temari’s asleep, and Shikadai’s asleep. I was just sitting with him.” He moved back to allow Mirai to skip into the room, and Kurenai closed the door softly as she came inside.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to leave you alone?” Kurenai asked. “Things must be complicated right now.”

“I always have time for Mirai,” Shikamaru assured.

“Can I see him?” Mirai asked, standing on the tips of her toes. She calmed down, reassured that Shikamaru had not been spirited out of her life. “Mama said you’ve got a baby.”

He knelt down, and Mirai stared slack jawed at Shikadai’s pink face. “That’s the baby?”

“Yeah, this is him,” Shikamaru smiled proudly.

Mirai continued to stare. “He’s so small.” Tentatively, she touched the blanket surrounding him. “What’s his name?”

“His name is Shikadai.”

“Shikadai,” Mirai repeated in an awed voice.

“Do you want to hold him?” Shikamaru asked softly.

“Are you sure-“ Kurenai began, but Shikamaru stopped her with a smile.

“It’s fine,” he assured her. He beckoned Mirai closer, and she came with small steps and wonderment in her expression. “Hold him gently.”

With a little coaxing and guiding, Mirai cradled Shikadai against her chest, staring at his sleeping face in fascination. Shikamaru kept a steadying hand underneath his son’s back.

“This is my baby brother?” Mirai asked in a whisper.

“No, not exactly,” Kurenai said, but Shikamaru shook his head.

“He’s whatever she wants him to be,” he said with a shrug.

Mirai grinned up at Shikamaru, before looking down at the baby in her arms again. “Hi, baby brother Shikadai. I’m Mirai.” She waited patiently for a response, and when none came she looked up at Shikamaru again. “Is he sleeping?”

“Yeah, he’s been sleeping for a while,” Shikamaru explained.

“When he wakes up, can I hold him again?” Mirai asked. “I want him to know me.”

“Sure.” Shikamaru took the baby back again, standing up so Kurenai could look at him as well.

“How did it go?” Kurenai asked.

Shikamaru glanced behind him at Temari, frowning slightly. “Long, and hard. But she’s tough, she’ll bounce back.”

Shikadai squirmed a bit, letting out a yawn and brief, uncontrolled flailing of limbs that caught Shikamaru’s attention instantly. He stayed still, waiting to see what would happen next. But Shikadai settled once more, with a sigh, and became still again without even opening his eyes.

“We should leave you alone,” Kurenai said. “She just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Mirai said, pressing her face into Shikamaru’s leg. “I want to stay with Shika.”

“Shikamaru is very busy with his new baby,” Kurenai tried to explain. “We can come and see him again tomorrow.”

“But I want to stay now,” Mirai said, voice rising a bit in pitch.

Shikamaru glanced behind him as Temari twitched in her sleep. “Mirai. Keep your voice down, please.”

She quieted instantly, looking up at him imploringly and whispering, “I’m sorry. But I want to stay.”

“Five minutes,” Shikamaru said. “How’s that sound?”

She pouted, annoyed at the compromise, but nodded. “Okay. Can I see him again?” She reached her hands up.

Shikamaru knelt down again, and Mirai gripped his shoulder with one hand so she could hover on her tiptoes over Shikadai. Her other hand reached towards his face, then hesitated.

“Gently,” Shikamaru reminded her, and Mirai took in a deep breath, and very, very carefully brushed the tips of her fingers across his forehead, catching a few fluffy strands of dark hair.

She grinned. “I like him.”

“Me too.” Shikamaru chuckled softly. “Although he won’t be very interesting for you to play with for a while.”

“I’ll wait,” Mirai said confidently.

“Mirai,” Kurenai pulled her away. “We need to go now. Say good bye.”

“Bye, Shika,” Mirai whispered, breaking out of Kurenai’s hold and throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. “And bye, baby brother.”

“See you tomorrow, kid,” Shikamaru replied, wrapping one arm around her. “Thanks for checking on us.” He straightened up, smiling fondly down at Mirai.

“Let me know if you need anything,” Kurenai said sincerely.

“I will.” Shikamaru nodded at her. The motion reminded him abruptly of the bundle in his arms, and his gaze dropped down again, studying Shikadai’s face. Seeing him was still a surprise. Holding him was still new and magical.

When Kurenai and Mirai left, he returned to his chair, sitting down carefully and slowly, so as not to jostle the sleeping infant in his arms.

The room was silent around him once more. He touched Shikadai’s cheek lightly, still awed and fascinated by his presence. They had made this. They had created this. He felt a hot flare of pride in his chest. That, and overwhelming love. He pressed a gentle kiss to Shikadai’s head. He reached his other hand out to Temari, smoothing her damp bangs away from her face.

The motion made her flinch slightly, and in the next moment she pried her eyes open. Blinking slowly, still exhausted, she gazed at him, but made no attempt to move.

“Go back to sleep,” he whispered. “He’s fine.”

She heaved a sigh, reaching an arm out towards them. Shikamaru shifted in his seat until she could hold Shikadai’s tiny little hand in her own. Her hand was shaking slightly.

“You’re okay,” he said gently. “Everything’s fine.”

She let her arm settle onto the bed again, still watching him wearily.

“Thank you,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead softly. “I’m so proud of you and I love you so much.” He took in a deep breath, trying to get control of the myriad of emotions bubbling up again.

“Got two cry-babies now,” Temari murmured, closing her eyes again.

“No matter what Sakura says, I did not cry that much.”

“I was there, you dork.” She opened her eyes with effort to stare at him.

“Go back to sleep,” he encouraged. “You need it.”

“I want to hold him.” She insistently remained awake, trying to move enough to sit up, but stopping with a wince and a sharp intake of breath.

“Tem?”

“Everything hurts.” She exhaled loudly, settling back down on her side.

“Probably because a human being just climbed out your body.” Shikamaru carefully laid the baby down on the bed, close enough for Temari to get her arm around him easily and draw him close to her face. “Do you need me to call a doctor?”

She shook her head, nuzzling into Shikadai. “No. Not right now. Not when it’s just us.”

He knew exactly what she meant. The whole world had been reduced to just three of them – _three_ , after months and years of just _two_ – and he didn’t want anyone else to come in and spoil it. He didn’t want to know that the rest of the world was still ticking over, that everyone else had lives and problems. He just wanted this, now.

He leant down, resting his forehead against her hair, his breath so close to Shikadai’s fuzzy dark head. Shikadai squirmed again, mouth opening in a small mewl. His face scrunched up, and he let out a few pathetic sounding cries, limbs pushing against the blanket he was wrapped in. Temari pulled him closer. She mumbled, voice heavy with sleep, “Told you he’s a cry-baby.”

“Cut him some slack, he’s only a few hours old.”

Shikadai continued to whimper. Shikamaru picked him up again, holding him close. Within a few minutes, Shikadai quieted back to sleep.

“He’s gonna be a daddy’s boy . . .” Temari murmured. “Starting to think he likes you more than he likes me.”

“Who wouldn’t?” Shikamaru replied, with a sharp grin.

Temari growled, “I’m gonna kick your ass when I’m able to move again.”

Shikamaru just nodded, and replied vaguely, “Sure.”

Shikadai squirmed, and finally blinked his eyes open. The very sight of it almost stopped Shikamaru’s heart, and he stared. Shikadai stared back, hazy and unfocused, but it didn’t matter because Shikamaru was caught on the colour of his eyes – teal and jade and every green imaginable. The world spun on, but Shikamaru was stuck in this single moment.

Nothing but him and Shikadai, staring at each other. All of Konoha’s forests reflected in his young eyes, all of Temari staring back at him. Shikamaru’s whole world – forests and shadows and Temari – blinking at him, filling him with a sudden rush of fierce protection and pride and responsibility.

The world had changed. All it took was one moment.

“Tem?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

“Hm. Love you, too.”

“It’s kinda funny,” Shikamaru smiled at his son. “The whole world can change in a second.” One earth shattering second that changes dreams and dashes hopes, defines a man and builds a nation. Most of Shikamaru’s moments like that were not pleasant ones – his father’s death, Asuma’s death, a failed mission . . . Things that shaped him with one instant and obliterated the life he had been leading before.

But this one . . . this one was beautiful. This moment was exquisite. And . . . it was all his. “You know, how one second can change a life. And those moments could mean everything to one person, and the exact same moment could mean nothing to another. Like now,” he carefully brushed at Shikadai’s hair. “Because Shikadai is not going to remember this. For him, today, right now, this isn’t important. It’s irrelevant to him. But I will never forget this moment.”

Temari looked at him again. He was outlined by shadows, eyes dark and intense, all colours muted and emotions roaring. Voice trembling just a bit. “Are you crying again?”

“Woman, I’m _happy_ , leave me alone.”

“See, that’s the thing,” Temari said, with a smile – the soft, pretty one that Shikamaru loved so much – “You don’t get to be alone anymore. Because that kid there, he’s your shadow. And you can’t get away from your own shadow.” She reached a hand out again, and Shikamaru kissed her knuckles softly before guiding her hand to Shikadai’s hair. “Not even for a moment.”

Shikamaru looked from Shikadai’s green gorgeous eyes to Temari’s. “That’s fine. Because I wouldn’t want to miss any moments like these.”

Temari yawned, eyes drifting closed again.

“Go to sleep,” he encouraged, leaning down enough to kiss her forehead. “And you go to sleep,” he told Shikadai, who’s eyes closed obligingly.

And the world spun on.

 

 

 


End file.
